10 Best Dolce & Gabbana Colognes for Men 2021
Updated January 2023
How We Found the Best Dolce & Gabbana Colognes
5 Experts Interviewed
12 Fragrances Tested
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Liam Carson
Dolce & Gabbana is one of the most famous luxury brands in the world and is a household name. Since its launch in 1985, the brand has come to define the idea of Italian luxury and puts the ideal of ‘La Dolce Vita’ at its heart. Along with being known for their handbags, ready-to-wear clothes and is synonymous with their extensive range of colognes and perfumes. Our Dolce & Gabbana cologne review takes an in-depth look at the ten most popular fragrances from the brand for men. Since the brand launched their first fragrance for men in 1994 with ‘Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme’, the brand has dominated the market, producing several cult-favourites.
We are going to find the most popular D&G perfume by reviewing ten of their best colognes for men.
Summary List
Dolce & Gabbana Scents Ranked by Cologne Critic
Why we chose it
The most popular Dolce and Gabbana perfume for winter is ‘The One’, which is a uniquely modern scent that blends together the contemporary with the timeless. Launched in 2008, this cologne is a masculine twist on the female perfume by the same name. ‘The One’ scent incorporates the tobacco notes common amongst several of these fragrances, along with a mixture of spices including ginger and coriander.
When you lay your eyes on this cologne, you will see a bottle that symbolizes the luxury that it stands for. It is brushed brown metal recalls the refinery of the brand’s iconic suits. Dolce & Gabbana describes this scent as being for “the charismatic seducer”, making it an ideal signature cologne. The inspiration behind this fragrance was the desire to create an “uomo”, a new masculine fragrance that would attract women and become a classic scent.
Main Accords
- Oriental
- Woody
- Spicy
Our Take
Dolce & Gabbana released their first fragrance in 1992 with ‘Pour Femme’, following it up with the men’s edition in 1994. This aromatic scent is fresh, personifying the idea of the classic Italian man.
It represents the concept of the brand. ‘Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme’ unapologetically sensual and inspired by the ‘La Dolce Vita’ aesthetic. The fragrance was re-launched in 2012 with a new bottle design that reflects the brand’s evolution to give it a more refined look.
This fragrance is right for you if you are looking for something timeless and classic, with a blend that includes mandarin top notes, hints of sage, and base notes of tobacco. ‘Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme’ is an ideal introduction to the brand’s fragrance range.
Main Accords
- Aromatic
- Citrus
- Tobacco
Our Take
‘Light Blue’ is the fragrance that Dolce & Gabbana is famous for and you can find it in the collection of any man who is interested in cologne. You would have seen this cologne sitting on the shelves of department stores all over the world. With its distinctive blue cap, ‘Light Blue’ is the brand’s best-seller, and its success has led to a full product range.
This fragrance was released in 2007 as a lighter alternative to the heavier, tobacco infused scents. ‘Light Blue’ is inspired by summer days in Italy, wrapped up in the idea of seduction and joy that Dolce & Gabbana are known for. When you smell this scent with its top notes of grapefruit and muskwood base notes, you’ll picture yourself sitting at the Mediterranean seaside.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Spicy
- Woody
Our Take
‘The One Mysterious Night’ was launched in 2018 as a follow-up to ‘The One’ and was originally released exclusively in the Middle East. The scent reimagines the Italian lifestyle of the brand with an Arabian twist. ‘The One Mysterious Night’ has the same base notes as the original scent, blending in oud with spicy notes to give it an Eastern feel. This long-lasting scent is vibrant and distinctive, with notes of saffron and warm amber.
‘The One Mysterious Night’ can be harder to find than other fragrances by Dolce & Gabbana. If you’re lucky enough to come across a bottle, it’s worth testing out the cologne to see if it works for you. This cologne is only available in an Eau du Parfum.
Main Accords
- Amber
- Oud
- Woody
Our Take
As ‘light blue’ is the most popular perfume of the brand, it’s no surprise that the brand has capitalized on its success by expanding the fragrance line. No Dolce & Gabbana cologne review would be complete without taking an in-depth look at the scents within the ‘Light Blue’ family.
‘Light Blue Sun’ is a new masculine fragrance from Dolce & Gabbana, having launched in 2019.
This scent has a stronger citrus focus than the original ‘Light Blue’, including top notes of grapefruit and bergamot while the mid-notes focus on cedar and coconut nectar. ‘Light Blue Sun’ has base notes of white musk, vanilla and vetiver. As the name would suggest, this cologne is intended from daytime use throughout the spring and summer.
This warm twist on ‘Light Blue’ is ideal for anyone who wants to experiment with the ‘Light Blue’ range without wearing such an instantly recognizable scent.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Aromatic
- Spicy
Our Take
Are you someone who likes to change up their fragrance every season? While ‘Light Blue’ is a year-round scent, we recommend wearing ‘Light Blue Intense’ during summer. This version takes the freshness of the original and boosts the sensuality of the scent, making it more prominent. The first notes that will fit your senses are the citrus fruits and aquatic accord that will remind you of the sea.
‘Light Blue Intense’ takes its sensual nature from its amber wood base, which is blended with musk to create a potent cologne that you’ll want to pack for your summer vacation. This fresh scent is an ideal gateway into the Dolce & Gabbana cologne collection if you’re intimidated by their tobacco-based scents.
Main Accords
- Aromatic
- Citrus
- Water
Our Take
K by Dolce & Gabbana is made for the independently minded man who stays true to tradition while embracing the modern era, representing an updated look at the Italian man. The design instantly tells you that this cologne differs from the others in range. While their previous colognes are for the refined Italian gentleman, ‘K’ is designed for the ‘modern day King’.
This contemporary scent has a base of cedarwood and spicy patchouli. ‘K by Dolce & Gabbana’ features pimento essence, a rare ingredient in cologne that gives this scent its unique and intense masculine feel. The sensuality in this scent comes from the green vetiver and patchouli in its blend. The top notes include Sicilian lemon, which has been associated with Dolce & Gabbana from its early years. ‘K’ is a relatively new masculine fragrance, launching in 2019.
Main Accords
- Aromatic
- Citrus
- Woody
Our Take
The Dolce & Gabbana Velvet line is a series of colognes inspired by The Velvet Exotic Leather scent is unisex with a unique smoky and woody accord blend that gives it the scent of genuine leather, making it one of Dolce & Gabbana’s most sensual scents. This Eau de Parfum utilises warm notes of cistus labdanum and cade oil. They have recreated the freshness of leather with a mixture of rum and incense. Other top notes include clary sage and lavender, with base notes of olibanum.
Main Accords
- Amber
- Aromatic
- Woody
Our Take
This cologne is the second scent inspired by ‘The One’ and was released in 2012 as a lighter alternative to the original scent. Dolce & Gabbana saw a clear need to release a sport cologne of one of their signature scents. ‘The One Sport’ was formulated with athletic men in mind and signaled a breakaway from the more sensual scents that the brand were used to producing. The cologne has the original’s aromatic base but with a sporty twist, using water notes and musky base.
‘The One Sport’ is an ideal daytime fragrance for spring and summer, as it is fresh and lightweight, while also being long-lasting. This scent is vibrant, just like the men who have inspired it and stays true to the Dolce & Gabbana aesthetic while going slightly outside of its traditional comfort zone.
Main Accords
- Aromatic
- Water
- Musk
Our Take
‘Intenso’ takes its inspiration from the original ‘Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme’ and updates it for the modern man, with a more refined feel. It utilises fresh top notes of lavender and basil, along with mid-notes of tobacco before giving way to the amber and musk in the base notes.
‘Intenso’ is a more forceful scent than its parent fragrance, utilising the Moepel accord in its scent that is made from the leaves of the Milkwood tree. You’ll instantly be able to deal if someone is wearing ‘Intenso’, which isn’t afraid to make its presence known with its long-lasting scent. ‘Intenso’ is a musky cologne that could become a signature scent for the contemporary man who appreciates tradition.
Main Accords
- Aromatic
- Spicy
- Herbal
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Researched by a team of fragrance experts.